We bought a used 2004 Toyota Sienna in August because our old van died. We make payments on it. DH was laid-off in October, and has recently started a lawn care business.

Alas, our savings is running out and the van will have to go. But a way has been made for us to have another vehicle. DHs friend asked us to sell his grandma's van for him (1999 Chevy Astro) and said that DH could have half of whatever he could get for the van. So we're thinking of keeping it and selling the Toyota. The Astro has had a major overhaul and runs well, but it needs a paint job and the tint has turned purple (clearly that doesn't matter mechanically, just a vanity thing for me).

I'm sad to have such a reliable vehicle go, especially because we'll take a loss on it of about $2k (I do not know how that happened! KBB dropped the value $4k since August... do used vehicles depreciate THAT fast?). But I'm glad that there is another van just sitting at our house waiting for us. I much prefer my Sienna, obviously, but I prefer being able to live in my house and feed my children more!

Hopefully someday we'll be able to get another great vehicle. And even more, we'll pay cash for it!

I have a wonderful day to myself today, thanks to MIL taking the girls and DH and DS at a skateboard campout. Hooray for me! So I drop DHs truck off for a diagnostic. It just needs a tune-up (plugs, wires, air filter, fuel filter, serpentine belt, hose that goes to the pvc valve).

~$750

WHAT?

I don't even know why I took it in, because we could do all of that for about $100. I know better.

Saturday & Sunday: Trained and received the materials I needed for my new job.

Monday: First training for first student assigned to me. Usually, they want you to do 5 hours of observation with other trainers before you go at it yourself, but they didn't have time for me to do that.

Tuesday: Manager calls me up to ask if I had mentioned to student's mom that I was new. I did mention it to student in this manner, during introductions:

"I'm excited to be working with you! We're going to be going through this together for the first time. Cool, huh?" Student was excited. I should have known better!

MOM calls center and demands a different trainer, as her child will NOT be paired with a new trainer.

Manager is not happy, but says to me "Lesson learned. Let's move on. We have a couple of students in the pipeline and we'll get you a new one soon."

Now, how silly would you feel after this? Really, it was an innocent mistake, but I hate starting a new job in a way like this.

Note to self: do not mention that I'm new.

One HUGE *sigh*.

First, it's more money per hour and more hours per week. *Beneficial for my family.

MORE importantly, it isn't tutoring. It's what's called Brain Training. While anyone can do it, it works especially well with high-functioning autistic kids, kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and the list goes on and on. *Beneficial to those I get to work with.

Through a series of cognitive exercises, you train your brain to think better (more efficiently, enhance memory) because you have to really engage it to do these tasks. I was amazed! For instance, I had to take one of the tests and it involved flipping arrows 1/4 turn, then saying the new direction on the beat (a metronome was used), WHILE the trainer called out a series of numbers, that I had to SUM when I reached the end of the arrow line. It was harder than it sounds.

I'm not being paid to blog this, BTW. I just really dig it. The company is Learning Rx (add a dot com).

This one is really up my alley! It is for a learning center here in town (similar to Kumon or Sylvan). If I land this job, it will be to replace my current position. It's really bittersweet: I love my kids at work but it wears on my family with the hours and the attitudes at this job drive me nuts. I'm much more suited to help those that want help. But I don't have the job yet so we'll see.

Last night at work, the kids and I went to the computer center to do some family history work. One kid tells me that he doesn't want to do it because his mom was murdered when he was 5! Holy Cow! Then he Googled his mom's name and it was a big deal around these parts when it happened (I never made the connection with the last names until then). Heartbreaking.

There is just no wonder these kids are struggling the way they do... they have to face obstacles that I would have never dreamed of when I was 14. Many of them have faced molestation, beatings, murder and all sorts of bad things. Their bad attitudes are due to something much bigger than pride or ignorance. I'm at a loss as to what can be done to really make a difference with some of them. They're so jaded that they refuse to accept any help.

Okay... I'm ending this entry before it turns into a 5-page rambling on what I think I have to get ready for this interview!